Need expert help?

Meet Teresa, one of our travel experts for Fiji.

Teresa is a Certified Tahiti Travel Specialist and works with the Tahiti Tourism Board making sure her guests enjoy a fabulous holiday in Tahiti.
Teresa lives on the beautiful island of Maui, Hawaii. She's been a Travel Advisor for 20 years, specializing in tropical islands around the world but her true love is the South Pacific.
Teresa has traveled throughout the South Pacific Islands and is on a first name basis with many of the resort owners. She has visited Fiji 7 times as well as Tahiti, Australia and New Zealand. Her speciality is multi-country holidays. Her agency, Luxury Hideaways, is rated A+ with the Hawaii Better Business Bureau.

Testimonials from Teresa's clients:

"We had the absolute best person to plan our trip for us. Her name is Teresa. She knows everything about this part of the world and took care of every little detail and it was free!!!! I highly recommend her!"

- Anne

"You were incredible!! I can't say enough how awesome of a job you did. I am a very deliberative person, and I was leery to a point because I didn't not have my hands in any of the scheduling/planning of the trip. So, I might have been on edge a few times until we got to the resort. I was very impressed with your service! So, thank you for all you did."

- Josh and Heather

"We were trying to plan our honeymoon in Fiji and were so confused and overwhelmed by the number and variety of resorts there. But then we found Teresa! She is very helpful and knowledgeable about Fiji and several different resorts there. When we were specifically trying to decide between two resorts, Teresa was able to help us decide as she provided us with specific differences between the resorts. Whenever we had questions, she responded quickly, even with the huge time difference. We are excited to have finally booked our honeymoon! She sent us a package with helpful information and tips, such as what to expect upon arrival and items to pack. We are looking forward to our honeymoon and to continue working with Teresa."

- B Kurian

"When we first started communicating with each other I wanted a Honeymoon that was going to be unforgettable and something that would be truly special, you certainly delivered plus more. Koro Sun was paradise on earth and of course we enjoyed the environment but what we loved the most was the staff and all the happy people we were surrounded by. We didn't know what to expect coming into Fiji but with all your wonderful planning and helpful notes we got through our entire Honeymoon with ease. Our Edgewater Bure was breathtaking and my wife literally had a grin from ear to ear since the moment I told her where we were going till our departure. You gave us an unbeatable capstone to our marriage and for that I can't thank you enough. Again thank you so much for helping me plan the honeymoon and it was a pleasure working with you."

- Devin & Jared Chambers

"Your help was AMAZING! I can not express how easy it was working with you when we were looking at different resorts and itineraries. You put so much effort into accommodating us- form budget to activities to an overall idea of what to expect in Fiji. We changed our minds several times and you were so tolerant, a real pleasure to work with. Your knowledge of the islands was a HUGE help in picking our honeymoon spot. I am not going to hesitate recommending you if any family or friends are looking to plan a vacation. Thanks again!"

- Chris

"Bula bula Teresa!
You provided my wife and I with outstanding personalized service in preparing our trip (that due to unexpected wedding budget overruns, we were unfortunately unable to take at that time). It was so outstanding that when my friend Mike said that he was planning his honeymoon to Fiji, I told him that he MUST contact you to plan a trip.
My wife and I still plan on getting to Fiji within the next 2 years, and I promise that you will be the first person that we contact for travel reservations and trip planning.
"

- Bryan

"I wanted to say again thank you this is absolutely amazing we are having a blast and the upgrade to the honeymoon bure was completely unexpected we have been treated amazingly and even got to fly to the island with the owner of the resort who was super nice to us. You were absolutely right about this place and I am so happy I found you thank you again!!!"

- Mark

"Thank you for the most amazing honeymoon! Wadigi was perfect in everyday! There are no words to express how incredible everything was (the food, the staff, the grounds, the accommodations...and everything in between!) We will definitely be back for our anniversary :-) Vinaka!"

- Bilal & Parisa

"Hello Teresa,
Thanks for your expert help in planning out trip to Tahiti.
After less than 48 hours after leaving Denver we are now at out beach bungalow at the Sofitel Hotel in Moorea Atoll.
The Air Tahiti flight from LAX was less than 8 hours and the service was incredible; 2 nice meals and great service.
Upon arrival in Papeete, Tahiti, we had the private car to the Ferry terminal and then a great ferry ride (30 min) to Moorea Atoll. We got here at about 10 am.
Staying at the Sofitel hotel…………..what can I say: it is French and the service is impeccable.
Your suggestion to spend our first few nights ‘on the beach’ was sterling………..here are pictures from out bungalow. Fortunately we got our bungalow at about 11 am and we went right into the water.
We snorkeled for about 2 hours and it was the very best !!! I bought a new GoPro camera and it is a life-renewing experience to be able to film under water like this, especially in crystal clear water!
Tomorrow we are on a 6 hour snorkeling tour to a ‘private island’ where we are to snorkel with manta rays and sharks..
What a hoot! So far, this is one of our very best trips ever (and we have been to 75 countries)
"

- Walt Whatley

"It's been more than a week since we've been back but I just wanted to let you know that we had a great time at Tahiti. Thank you for arranging our wonderful trip. My kids are already saying they wanted to go back.
Teresa, I wanted to thank you for you assistance for this wonderful trip.
Don't think we'll be going back to Bora Bora anytime soon, but we may seek your help for some of our future trips and cruises."

- Barry

"We wanted to give you a summary of our Tahiti trip. In a word, just fabulous. We have never taken such a purely luxury, relaxing type of vacation in the past and it was an absolute delight.
Probably our favorite experience on the trip was the shark and manta ray feeding trip. I thought this would be somewhat hokey but it was great fun. Swimming with the sharks was a novel experience and even Debby with her limited swimming abilities had a great time. I was actually able to dive down and bat one of the lemon sharks on the tail. The mantas were like puppies in the way that they crowded around us, swimming over our shoulders in order to get to the food. We laid out the money for the video of the trip and its been the most popular picture of any trip that we have ever brought home. And we would recommend that anyone who goes to Bora Bora take the opportunity to eat at "Bloody Marys", a superb place to get the fresh seafood that we were looking for and it was very reasonably priced.
I could gush further but suffice it to say that it was a fantastic trip and just the type of relaxation that we needed at this busy time in our lives. Thanks for planning a wonderful trip for us!"

- Ken and Debby Richmond

"Hi Teresa,
Chris and I are back from our trip, and I just wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed it!! The islands were beautiful, and each hotel worked out great!
Our beach bungalow at the Sofitel was the perfect location, close to the beach bar and looking directly out at the beach (#411). Just to give you some feedback, not complaining--The Sofitel was not as plush as I thought it would be and looked a little more worn. I thought the grounds would be more manicured and service a little better, considering the ranking it had. If we went back to Moorea, we would probably stay there again or recommend it to friends, because from other people that we met, it sounded like the Intercontinental there was similar and not necessarily a better option. The location was great though—near both the ferry dock and airport!
The Intercontinental Bora Bora and Thalasso Spa was spectacular!! The room was very tastefully done with beautiful finishes, our hut (110) was in the perfect location, very little construction noise if any, as I think most of the exteriors are finished, and every part of the property was so upscale. The water was so beautiful, and the resort was exactly as I hoped it would be! So glad we went there last!
We were able to meet up with friends from California who happened to be staying at the St Regis Bora Bora. We hadn’t seen them for over 20 years, so it was such a treat that we were all there at the same time. We didn’t realize there wasn’t a road that could easily connect both hotels, and a private water taxi would have been about $200, so we all met on the big island at Bloody Mary’s for dinner. Due to differing ferry location drop offs and times, we were only able to see each other for just over an hour, but it was great to catch up in person!
All of our transfers were so easy, and we were very well taken care of during each one, whether transport, ferry or by plane! Each of the vendors made it easy to find them, and they all had our information down correctly! That was a great feature of the trip!
Thanks again for all of your help with planning our vacation! We thoroughly enjoyed every minute!! Now back to reality...
"

- Vicki Daltorio

"Hi, Teresa! Never got around to telling you how great a time we had in Hawaii. You did a great job! We enjoyed every minute, even the nerve-wracking Hana Highway. It all went smoothly, without flaw, and we have taken away with us precious and unforgettable memories.
Thanks again for your splendid assistance in helping us plan this vacation!
"

Best Honeymoon Destinations

So you're engaged...congratulations! One of the most fun parts about getting married is planning that honeymoon trip of a lifetime.
And if you haven't even narrowed it down to a country, much less an island or a resort, don't worry-many (if not most!) honeymoon
couples are in the same boat.

Some couples start by leafing through travel or bridal magazines and looking for pictures that are appealing
and romantic--you can do this, but you're more likely to settle on the best-MARKETED destination rather than the
best destination for your wants, needs, and style.

The following are questions you should ask yourself--it'll help you figure out what your options are, and help you
ask better questions of your travel agent, which will help you plan that perfect honeymoon.

When are you going?

Every destination has its high and low seasons--and this is typically a combination of weather and the times
of the year that their tourists typically take vacations.
Some destinations, such as Hawaii, have very little variance in their weather year-round; others, like the
Caribbean have a definite hurricane season.

Yet it's important to know that the Caribbean is a very big place--and different parts have different hurricane
seasons, and some parts of the western Caribbean really aren't hurricane prone at all. Other destinations--such
as Central America and
Southeast Asia--have rainy or monsoon seasons. You really need to know the specific
destination in order to have a feel for whether or not their "green" season is too "green" (rainy!) for you.

Also, ask yourself if you're willing to delay the start of your honeymoon a couple of weeks or months.
Summer months are very popular for weddings, as it tends to be easier for family and friends to get to the
wedding; plus, if you're having an outdoor wedding, the odds of good weather are more in your favor.
However, this also tends to be the expensive (and sometimes more crowded) season for many honeymoon destinations.
Giving yourself a month off after the wedding before leaving on your honeymoon can give you time to relax and wind
down from the wedding, write your thank-you notes, and take advantage of the lower prices of what's known as
the "shoulder season" (between high and low season).

Food!

How adventurous of an eater are you? How about your fiancé? Do you like to try the local food, try many different restaurants?
Often resorts will have very good American and European menus, but for authentic local cuisine you'll have to venture
outside the resort.

All-inclusive resorts and cruises often make fabulous food very affordable; if you're not at an all-inclusive
resort, the on-property restaurants are often pretty pricey compared to outside restaurants, and tend to be less authentic
with respect to local/native cuisine. If your chosen resort is in or near a reasonably large town or tourist area,
you may have lots of choice for dinner; if you're secluded and isolated, it's possible that you have no choice but to
dine at the resort (and pay their prices, if it's not included!).

In areas like Fiji
and Tahiti, you'll often find that
while the resort isn't officially all-inclusive, they do have a "meal plan" which covers food and sometimes drinks.
Sometimes these plans cover just breakfast and dinner, which leaves you the option of trying the local cuisine and eating
relatively inexpensively for lunch.

Language

This is less of a problem than you might think.
Unless you're backpacking around some exotic country, you're going to find people in restaurants, hotels, and the
activity vendors all speak English. One bit of advice: try to learn a few words and phrases in the local language,
as you'll find you're treated differently if you begin conversations with "hello" in their language, and show you're
willing to make the effort to get along in their country.

Cost

The big question! First, some statistics: the average U.S. couple spends about $3700 for their honeymoon
package...and this doesn't included expenditures once they're at their destination.
When considering a resort that's NOT all-inclusive, take some time to research the area and find out what meals cost,
what a snorkel trip costs, what taxis cost, etc. Tourist bureau sites are a good place to start.

Costs of excursions and meals can easily add up to much more than your airfare and hotel, and you need to be realistic
and prepared for this. Consider staying at multiple hotels on your honeymoon-perhaps one or two nights at someplace
really nice to start, then a more moderate property with perhaps less of a view for the remainder.

Travel time/vacation time

How much time off work are you going to take?
And how much of it are you willing to spend on an airplane?

If you're going on an African safari,
you're going to consume about a day and a half traveling each way from the U.S.
This is fine if you're going to be there a couple of weeks, but if those days are coming off your total of 7 days on vacation,
you might consider someplace closer. And distance isn't the only factor: how many stopovers is it going to take to get
where you're going? If you've got to land on a main island, then wait around for 4 to 6 hours for the "island hopper"
flight to take you out to your remote private island retreat, that's going to consume your vacation time too.

A great option, if it's available, is a red-eye flight, where you sleep on the plane and wake up at your destination,
saving a day of vacation time.

Nightlife

Are you going to want to go out dancing/clubbing?
Or maybe see some native dances or performances?
If you're going to Hawaii, and you ARE looking for nightlife, you'll probably want to think about
Oahu or maybe Maui.

For Mexico, you should be thinking about Cancun or Cabo, rather than some of the more isolated resort areas.
If you're considering the Caribbean,
the answer to this question might affect the island or region you choose as well.
Music: what do you want to hear on your honeymoon? Mariachi bands, steel drums, reggae,
or ...what appeals to you?

Adventure!

How about a safari in Kenya, Tanzania
or Botswana?
Or hiking in the Andes...maybe a trip to Macchu Pichu in Peru?
Or a week on a rented sailboat in the Caribbean?
How about touring Australia on a Harley?
Maybe trek through the jungles of Costa Rica, observing monkeys and exotic birds?
If these appeal to you, first thing you need to do is make sure they also appeal to your spouse!

These kinds of trips create memories of a lifetime, and can be very affordable as well.
Often, couples will want to combine an "adventure" trip with a few days relaxing at a beach resort-these
kinds of combination packages can be put together for you by a knowledgeable travel agent, and give you the best of both worlds.

History and culture

Do you enjoy visiting ancient ruins...centuries-old cathedrals...seeing native villages?
The beauty of the art, architecture, and history of Greece,
Italy,
Scotland and Ireland, or Mayan civilizations can make for a fabulous
honeymoon experience.

Europe is an obvious destination,
but think also about the Mayans and Aztecs in Latin America...Buddhist temples
in Bali and Thailand...
Angkor Wat in Cambodia...Buddhist and Hindu temples in India.
China is becoming a much more popular destination as well: consider visiting the Great Wall and seeing the Terracotta Warriors.

Watersports

Do you and your fiancé scuba dive (or do you want to learn)?
You'll find that pretty much every tropical destination has diving and snorkeling available.
Some will have scuba courses offered by the resorts, while other resorts will have partnered with local dive companies.

If you love to snorkel, make sure your travel agent knows, so they can recommend resorts where

the wave conditions
tend to be good and there are good snorkeling reefs nearby so that there's something besides just sand to look at.
In general, a great surfing beach won't be a great snorkeling beach!

Are you interested in going deep-sea fishing? It's important to know what the fishing is like where you're going.
For instance, while you can take a guided fishing trip from any one of the Hawaiian islands, your chances of actually
doing some CATCHING as well as fishing are substantially better on the Big Island!

Additionally, it's important to talk to your travel agent about what kinds of watersports you want to enjoy.
If you're interested in jetskiing and parasailing, you'll want to be in one place; if you want to kayak with the turtles,
snorkel around the reef, you'll want to be elsewhere. It's also useful to know how far it is from your hotel to the best
spots for your activities-you won't want to spend two hours a day roundtripping from your hotel to your activities.

People, people, people

There are a number of important considerations here. First off, who else is going to be at your resort?
Are most of the guests at the resort in your age group? Are they young and adventurous, or older and mostly
interested in golf?
Does the resort market to families-are you going to find a ton of kids splashing around in the pool when you're trying to have a
romantic, relaxing time? Is the bar going to be lively, with your kind of music? Are you going to feel right at home, or a bit
out of place?

Next, let's talk about density: do you prefer to be in the middle of the action, with lots of other happy honeymooners all around,
or quieter and more secluded?

Think about whether you want to be in a hotel with 1000 rooms, or a resort with 60 private villas,
like the Banyan Tree in the Seychelles in the picture at right...the
experience will be very different. And do you want to be waited on hand and foot, or left alone to explore by yourselves?

Do you want to shop, maybe pick up souvenirs or local style clothes, or maybe some artwork? Maybe you want a mix: in Hawaii,
popular combinations would include a few nights in
the heart of Waikiki combined with a few nights on the North Shore...on Maui,
perhaps a split between the Lahaina/Kaanapali
area and the secluded Hana coast.

Finally, how much do you want to learn about the locals, their language, food, and culture? Generally, at the all-inclusive resorts,
you'll find yourselves with other tourists, separated from the local style. If you want to immerse yourselves in the local environment,
perhaps consider a smaller hotel, farther from the main tourist areas.

Accommodations

How sensitive are you to humidity and temperature? This can determine not only the destination, but also the choice of resort,
as not all A/C systems are created equal. How close do you want to be to nature? I've stayed at fabulous safari lodges in
Africa that didn't even have complete walls...just mosquito nets to protect you at night. For some, this is a dream come
true-for others it might be a nightmare.

How important is your living space in your hotel room? Do you feel claustrophobic easily? Do you like to lounge around
in the morning, have breakfast in bed, or do you like to get up and out there exploring the island? Is a spa on-property
important to you? Is a view of the ocean from your room important to you...enough to justify the higher price?

Also think about how you typically spend your day on vacation. If you go back and forth from the room to the beach, the pool,
the restaurant, you might want a place with ground-level villas rather than have to get on and off elevators all the time.
If you're going to spend most of your days out exploring the island, this might not matter so much.

Next, check out the Travel Channel's short video for some great honeymoon destination ideas. Their very first idea is what I did for my honeymoon :-).

The destinations

Here's a quick look at some of the more popular destinations, and what they're known for.

Fiji
- great scuba and snorkeling, very friendly people, mostly villa-style beach bungalow accommodations in widely-separated resorts.
Moderately expensive to very expensive. About 9 hours flying time from Los Angeles.

Tahiti
- great scuba and snorkeling, famous for overwater bungalows and phenomenal views. Resorts tend to be fairly far apart; very secluded
and private. Expensive to very expensive; food, drinks, and activities can be very expensive as well. About 8 hours flying time from
Los Angeles.

Maui, Kauai, Oahu, Lanai, Molokai, and the Big Island of Hawaii
- beautiful weather all year round, close to mainland U.S., amazing array of watersports and adventure activities.
Not as much of a cultural transition for mainland Americans as many other destinations. Most hotels have 200-400 rooms;
hotel density along beaches can be high. Excellent choice for a destination wedding, as prices are very reasonable for
high quality and service. Inexpensive to moderately expensive.

The Caribbean
- known for prevalence of all-inclusive resorts, especially in Jamaica.
Huge range of cultures, styles, food, music.
Great watersports and scenery, and not too long in the air from major U.S. cities. Cruises are a very popular way to
explore multiple islands and countries in the Caribbean at a modest cost. Inexpensive to very expensive.

Mexico
- Cancun and Cozumel have fully recovered from the hurricanes from a few years ago, and much rebuilding has resulted in many upgraded resorts.
High density of resorts on beaches in places like Cancun and Cabo. Great diving, watersports; some areas close to Mayan ruins.
Recently, all-inclusive resorts have become common, and there are some terrific bargains to be had, especially at the moderate
to more expensive resorts. A new trend we're seeing is combining the traditional beach vacation with a few days inland at one of
Mexico's colonial cities, exploring the history and culture of old Mexico. Easy access from the U.S. Inexpensive to moderately expensive.

Europe
- history, architecture, and great food and wine are big draws here. Airfare is less than you might expect, often sub-$500
per person roundtrip. Less of a beach resort destination, although areas of
Italy,
France, and
Greece
on the Mediterranean
can provide the sun & surf element. Castles in
Ireland
and self-drive B&B vacations throughout the UK are popular, as are
villa stays in France and Italy. In Greece, the Cyclades islands are very popular: Santorini with its submerged volcano,
black sandy beach, and breathtaking sunsets...Mykonos with its blue-domed churches, whitewashed houses and beaches...and Naxos,
the largest island with golden sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters, and the medieval capital of Hora. Honeymooners often
combine stays on these islands with a visit to Athens. Many cruise options are available, allowing easy exploration of a
number of Mediterranean ports in one vacation. Moderately expensive to very expensive.

Costa Rica & Belize
- becoming very popular as eco-tourism destinations, these countries offer terrific beach resorts, watersports, diving and
snorkeling, combined with jungle exploration and eco-adventures. Treetop resorts becoming popular here as well; and like
Mexico, there are a number of Mayan ruins accessible in Belize. Belize also is famous for its barrier reef, and the scuba
diving hotspot known as The Blue Hole. Relatively short flight from mainland U.S., combined with great value for the dollar
at many resorts makes these two countries very hot for honeymooners.

Australia & New Zealand
- enormous variety of things to do for the adventurous types, from Ayers Rock to the Great Barrier reef, Sydney and its
renowned Opera House, Surfers Paradise. New Zealand has everything from geysers in Rotorua to jet-boating; hiking and
skiing amongst tremendous scenery, and of course the famous Maori hospitality. We often suggest combining a trip to
either of these countries with a stopover in Fiji
or Tahiti as well. Long flight times (15 hours+ from Los Angeles)
mean you'll probably want to stay 2 weeks at the very least. Moderately expensive to expensive.

Southeast Asia
- combines terrific beach resorts with extraordinary culture and historical sites to explore. A relatively long flight
from the U.S. (up to 20 hours depending on routing), but a tremendous value once you're there.
Thailand,
Bali, China,
Vietnam and
Cambodia
are all becoming very popular. Very inexpensive without the airfare;
inexpensive to moderate with airfare.

The Seychelles, Maldives,
and Mauritius - all fabulous honeymoon destinations, although because of the flying time
from the U.S. (around 30 hours), they're more commonly visited by Europeans. Truly spectacular diving and scenery, great
food and culture, and very friendly people. Hotels are much more spread out than Hawaii
or Mexico--more like Fiji
or Tahiti.
Private island resorts are common, as in Fiji and Tahiti.
Seychelles and Mauritius trips are commonly combined with a week
or so in Africa on safari. Expensive to very expensive, even without the airfare (roughly $1500 to $2000 per person
roundtrip from the U.S.).

Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile - becoming more popular, and offer a great opportunity to experience culture,
wilderness and traditional beach resorts all in one vacation. The Amazon is a huge draw, of course, but also the
culture and experiences to be had in Rio and Buenos Aires make for a very memorable and exotic honeymoon.
The Inca city of Machu Picchu is certainly one of the most beautiful and enigmatic ancient sites in the world,
perched in the Andes at over 9,000 feet in elevation. Moderately expensive to very expensive.